Abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/abroad
en-usSun, 02 Aug 2015 15:36:11 -0400Sun, 02 Aug 2015 15:36:11 -0400The latest news on Abroad from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/leadership-charts-in-50-countries-2015-6These charts reveal how to lead people in 50 countrieshttp://www.businessinsider.com/leadership-charts-in-50-countries-2015-6
Mon, 08 Jun 2015 11:18:43 -0400Kathleen Elkins
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5572055aeab8ead40b8b456b-791-593/chinarlc.png" border="0" alt="China.RLC">Different cultures can have radically different leadership styles.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Understanding them is key to international success, according to <a href="http://www.crossculture.com/about-us/richard-d-lewis/">British linguist Richard Lewis</a>, founder of consulting firm <a href="http://www.crossculture.com/">Richard Lewis Communications</a>.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In Asian countries, for instance, leadership is portrayed as a circle, where consensus rule is valued and leaders are seen as benevolent.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In America (at least outside startup culture), leadership looks more pyramidal, with orders relayed from the top to the bottom and people at every level looking out for themselves.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">To learn more about these <span>fascinating cultural norms,&nbsp;</span>Lewis gave us permission&nbsp;<span>to publish the following leadership diagrams from "</span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cross-Cultural-Communication-A-Visual-Approach/dp/0953439836?tag=bisafetynet-20">Cross-Cultural Communication: A Visual Approach</a>,<span>" along&nbsp;<span>with his commentary.</span></span></span></span></p><h3>In Argentina, "nepotism is common, and staff are manipulated by a variety of persuasive methods ranging from paternalism to outright coercion."</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5570753869bedd2d108e922e-400-300/in-argentina-nepotism-is-common-and-staff-are-manipulated-by-a-variety-of-persuasive-methods-ranging-from-paternalism-to-outright-coercion.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>Australian managers are much more effective when they "sit in the ring with the mates." They also exert more influence when they crack jokes, use cynicism, and curse.</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5570756e6da8117861d14be3-400-300/australian-managers-are-much-more-effective-when-they-sit-in-the-ring-with-the-mates-they-also-exert-more-influence-when-they-crack-jokes-use-cynicism-and-curse.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><h3>In Austria, business leadership is autocratic. "Workers tend to show exaggerated respect to seniors and are uncomfortable with a system where their voices are rarely heard."</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/55707c01eab8ea7b41c67cd3-400-300/in-austria-business-leadership-is-autocratic-workers-tend-to-show-exaggerated-respect-to-seniors-and-are-uncomfortable-with-a-system-where-their-voices-are-rarely-heard.jpg" alt="" />
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/leadership-charts-in-50-countries-2015-6#in-belarus-leadership-is-of-the-old-fashioned-autocratic-kind-power-distance-is-steadfastly-maintained-consensus-is-rarely-sought-enthusiastically-and-female-leaders-are-rare-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/some-of-the-most-popular-us-colleges-are-cloning-themselves-abroad-2015-6Some of the most popular US colleges are cloning themselves abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/some-of-the-most-popular-us-colleges-are-cloning-themselves-abroad-2015-6
Sat, 06 Jun 2015 16:50:00 -0400Jason Lane and Kevin Kinser
<p><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/53c581d769beddc463b0cb8a-1200-900/bologna.jpg" border="0" alt="bologna italy">A growing number of colleges and universities are emerging as multinational organizations – creating start-up versions of themselves in foreign countries.</span></p>
<p>Those vacationing in western France may drive past a <a href="http://lorraine.gatech.edu/">campus</a> of Georgia Institute of Technology. Similarly, those visiting Italy may come across a Johns Hopkins nestled in Bologna; or if you are a visitor to Rwanda, you may come across a Carnegie Mellon University <a href="http://www.cmu.edu/rwanda/">campus</a>.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://www.globalhighered.org/">Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT)</a> at SUNY-Albany, 51 US universities now operate 83 branch campuses outside of the United States. Arkansas State has recently <a href="http://www.astate.edu/a/asunews/featured/queretaro-campus.dot">announced</a> it will build a campus in Mexico. Qatar is already home to <a href="http://www.qf.org.qa/enroll">campuses</a> from six American universities.</p>
<p>Students can now earn degrees from <a href="http://www.nyu.edu/global.html">New York University</a> in New York City, Abu Dhabi or Shanghai.</p>
<p>This sort of activity is being duplicated by <a href="http://www.globalhighered.org/branchcampuses.php">institutions</a> from Australia, the United Kingdom, India and more than two dozen other countries. Globally, universities in 32 countries export 235 branch campuses across 73 nations.</p>
<p>How are we to understand these developments? Do they bring advantages for students, academia as well as nations? Have higher education institutions become tools of public diplomacy? Or, are such institutions evolving into multiple national corporations with limited affinity with their home nation?</p>
<p>For the past five years, as co-directors of <a href="http://www.globalhighered.org/">C-BERT</a>, we have been tracking the development of this phenomenon, research that has included visits to some 50 of these institutions in 15 countries.</p>
<h3>Universities go global</h3>
<p>The fact is that no longer are global activities limited to the for-profit educational conglomerates such as the Apollo Group <a href="http://www.phoenix.edu/colleges_divisions/global.html">University of Phoenix</a> and <a href="http://www.laureate.net/">Laureate</a> that have developed an international footprint through investment in online education and the purchase of colleges in multiple countries.</p>
<p>Rather, a growing number of public and private nonprofit universities have entered this space, creating, for example, branch campuses where a student in a local country can attend classes, join student organizations, engage in research projects and earn a degree awarded in the name of the home campus.</p>
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/537a04b4eab8ea9648c2b5cb-600-400/nyu abu dhabi.jpg" border="0" alt="NYU Abu Dhabi"></p>
<p>The earliest branch campus we’ve identified opened in the 1920s, when <a href="http://www.newschool.edu/parsons/fashion-school/">Parsons Fashion School in New York</a> opened a location in Paris, so they could be in the fashion capital of the world, even though much of the growth in this sector started only in the 2000s.</p>
<p>Today, this effort is not limited to a handful of elite four-year institutions; it includes schools ranging from community colleges to boutique graduate schools, offering associates' degrees to doctorates.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/education/10global.html?_r=1&amp;">Proponents argue</a> that branch campuses provide needed educational capacity in underserved areas, while allowing the home institution to diversify its revenue and enhance its reputation. <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/10/12/singapore">Critics claim</a> that operating under authoritarian governments hampers the academic freedom of faculty and students.</p>
<h3>Push and pull factors</h3>
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/55735b7b6bb3f7a34a748abb-851-579/563577_436671219770317_1662953566_n.png" border="0" alt="parsons paris"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Most branch campuses seem to fall somewhere in between the glorious and the atrocious. But, first, let us look at some of the factors leading to the setting up of these branch campuses.</span></p>
<p>In our view, there are a number of internal factors <em>pushing</em> institutions to open branches - mainly, resources, regulations and reputation.</p>
<p>With declining government subsidies at home, concerns about rising tuition rates and heightened competition for students, some colleges and universities are looking for new ways to expand their economic base, through the delivery of courses overseas, foreign research monies and relationships with donors in other countries.</p>
<p>Having a physical presence is helpful, and at times necessary.</p>
<p>Also, it is sometimes easier to expand and be innovative in a different country, where the rules and regulations of the home and host nations (or states) do not constrain their efforts as much. In the US, we have <a href="https://www.academia.edu/2147225/Regulating_Cross-Border_Higher_Education_A_Case_Study_of_the_United_States">found</a> that while accreditation standards apply to international activities, many state regulations do not extend beyond their borders.</p>
<p>In addition, places like the <a href="http://www.diacedu.ae/">Dubai International Academic City</a> and <a href="http://www.iskandarinvestment.com/master-planned-development-projects/educity/">EduCity</a> in Malaysia are considered “free trade” zones designed to provide such regulatory relief from both the importing and exporting nations.</p>
<p>G<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">lobal engagement also seems to be increasingly tied to an institution’s and nation’s reputation. For example, global university rankings such as those by </span><a href="http://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/rankings">US News and World Report</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> and </span><a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2014-15/world-ranking">Times Higher Education</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> factor in the international engagement of institutions.</span></p>
<p><img src="https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/83835/width668/image-20150603-2951-42i7cw.jpg" border="0" alt="" style="color: #000000;">T<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">his is not all. Higher education institutions have become tools of public diplomacy. Some exporting governments see International Branch Campuses (IBCs) as a means to strengthen their alliances with the importing nations.</span></p>
<p>There are also a number of factors <em>pulling</em> institutions to set up overseas.</p>
<p>Foreign universities have demonstrated interest in locating branches near rapidly expanding academic markets and being part of the emergence of Asia as a power player in the higher education landscape. It is no accident that most of the IBCs built in the past decade are located around the Indian Ocean and Pacific Rim.</p>
<p>Indeed, <a href="http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/economic-competitiveness-internationalization-and-branch-campuses/29120">some countries</a> have developed strategies and enacted policies to encourage international branch campus development through an “<a href="http://jsi.sagepub.com/content/15/3/221.abstract">education hub</a>.” Hubs usually indicate a country’s intention to <a href="https://www.academia.edu/1820761/Deciphering_Educational_Hubs_Strategies_Rhetoric_and_Reality">promote</a> itself as a regional or international destination for students.</p>
<p>Places like Abu Dhabi (UAE) and <a href="http://www.qf.org.qa/">Qatar</a> have provided financial and regulatory incentives to attract prestigious IBCs. But destinations such as Dubai, that do not offer any subsidy, are popular locations as well; in fact, IBCs are charged high rents to operate in places such as <a href="http://www.diacedu.ae/">Dubai International Academic City</a> (though they can receive exemption from many local regulations).</p>
<p>Some importing nations seek to raise their own international reputation by aligning themselves with well-respected institutions such as <a href="https://dku.edu.cn/">Duke</a>, <a href="http://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/">Yale</a> and <a href="http://www.qatar.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M University</a>.</p>
<h3>Why some fail</h3>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/525d5828eab8eaa019890ba8-960-720/msu_wells_hall.jpg" border="0" alt="Michigan State University Wells Hall"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">However, at times the reasons for expansion </span><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2011/10/20/new_caution_for_us_universities_overseas/">do not align with reality</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">, as the recent retreats of </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/education/01campus.html?_r=0">George Mason</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">, </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128342097">Michigan State</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> and the </span><a href="http://laverne.edu/news/2004/09/press-archive-245/">University of La Verne</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> illustrate.</span></p>
<p>These campuses, like the 26 others that C-BERT data <a href="http://www.globalhighered.org/branchcampuses.php">report</a>, closed because they either encountered unexpected market and cultural conditions or lacked sufficient support from the home campus.</p>
<p>Unrealistic projections of revenue and enrollment, regulatory conflicts, and incompatible partnerships are the <a href="http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/another-one-bites-the-dust/28769">hallmarks</a> of a bungled branch.</p>
<p>Creating an IBC is akin to creating a “start-up” in a foreign nation – with a different set of laws, cultural expectations and educational infrastructure. Abu Dhabi is very different from New York City. And it isn’t China either.</p>
<p>The established infrastructure of a campus in one country is repurposed in another country with the intention of educating students, fostering local research and innovation, and, through spillover, improving the overall quality of the domestic education sector.</p>
<p>As pioneers in an educational experiment, faculty and staff may be called on to help with a variety of tasks including budget planning, recruiting students, course scheduling, website design, furniture construction, staffing residence halls and even fixing computers.</p>
<h3>Changing loyalties</h3>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/557071f1eab8eacb04c67ccf-1200-800/singapore fountain.jpg" border="0" alt="Singapore Fountain"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">It is clear that colleges and universities are emerging as important international actors, offering benefits to the institution as well as the importing and exporting nations.</span></p>
<p>What is not clear is how these arrangements will affect the relationship between a nation and its higher education sector.</p>
<p>Historically, colleges and universities have been viewed as anchor institutions that are tightly linked to their local communities and often are significant engines of economic development.</p>
<p>But we are now seeing campuses move locations in their effort to find “best deals” in terms of more regulator flexibility or government subsidies. The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-12/chicago-s-booth-to-move-mba-program-to-hong-kong-detention-site.html">announced</a> in 2013 that it would leave Singapore and set up shop in Hong Kong.</p>
<p>Similarly, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has <a href="http://www.unlvrebelyell.com/2013/01/28/unlv-to-split-with-singapore-education-partner/">indicated</a> that it will leave Singapore this year. It is now looking for another Asian base.</p>
<p>Do these trends suggest that US universities will close their home campus if they get a better deal elsewhere? Likely not. Much of the cachet of the branch campus comes from being associated with a home country like the United States, for example.</p>
<p>But both institutions and nations need to realize that these endeavors can be big gambles, and not everyone has a winning hand.</p>
<p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/40681/count.gif" border="0" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"><a href="http://theconversation.com/profiles/jason-lane-165355"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">This article was originally published on </span></a><a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">. Read the </span><a href="http://theconversation.com/is-todays-university-the-new-multinational-corporation-40681">original article</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/some-of-the-most-popular-us-colleges-are-cloning-themselves-abroad-2015-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/russian-models-pose-with-bear-2015-4">Two models in Russia just posed with a 1,400-pound bear</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-before-traveling-abroad-2015-4Here's everything you should do before you travel abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-before-traveling-abroad-2015-4
Sun, 03 May 2015 11:55:00 -0400Business Insider
<h2><a href="Here's%20everything%20you%20should%20do%20before%20you%20travel%20abroad"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5538065d69bedd1e728fddaf-1200-899/travel-abroad-graphic-3.png" border="0" alt="Travel Abroad Graphic">Click here to see the story »</a></h2><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-before-traveling-abroad-2015-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stunning-south-america-drone-footage-2015-3">Beautiful drone video of epic trip across South America</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-before-traveling-abroad-2015-4Here's everything you should do before you travel abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-before-traveling-abroad-2015-4
Tue, 28 Apr 2015 12:49:00 -0400Sarah Schmalbruch and Skye Gould
<p>Traveling abroad is exciting.</p>
<p>But in order for you to truly enjoy your trip, you have to prepare and plan ahead.</p>
<p>We've created an infographic that shows you exactly what you should be doing in the months, weeks, and days leading up to your trip.</p>
<p>Stop stressing and take a look:</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/553801d269bedd11618fddaf-1200-6333/travel abroad graphic.png" border="0" alt="Travel Abroad Graphic"></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-pack-a-suitcase-2015-4" >The right way to pack a suitcase</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-do-before-traveling-abroad-2015-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stunning-south-america-drone-footage-2015-3">Beautiful drone video of epic trip across South America</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-moving-abroad-for-jobs-2014-1059% Of Millennials In The US Would Move To Another Country For A Jobhttp://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-moving-abroad-for-jobs-2014-10
Tue, 07 Oct 2014 16:46:00 -0400Emmie Martin
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5433fea3eab8ea7c60b602c9-1200-600/britain-phone-booths-uk-united-kingdom-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Britain phone booths UK united kingdom">Despite the high number of foreigners who live and work in the United States, Americans themselves just aren't all that&nbsp;<span style="background-color: #ffffff;">interested in seeking out employment opportunities abroad.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Well, at least most aren't.</span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1" style="background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/human_resources_leadership_decoding_global_talent/">new study</a></span> from The Boston Consulting Group and The Network, which surveyed over 200,000 people from 189 countries, found that US workers are the least likely to move overseas&nbsp;for work.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em; background-color: #ffffff;"><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/543439b3ecad0471213301b7-748-424/bcg exhibit 3.jpg" border="0" alt="BCG Exhibit 3">Only 35% of Americans say they would consider moving, compared to a worldwide average of 64%. Meanwhile, in places like France and Jamaica,&nbsp;over 90% of workers say they'd be willing to relocate.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">However,<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"> there's one demographic of Americans who are far more likely to seek job opportunities abroad: millennials. Approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/human_resources_leadership_decoding_global_talent/?chapter=2#chapter2_section2"><span style="background-color: #ffffff;">59% of these young professionals</span></a> say they'd move to a foreign country for work.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">This is likely due to the post-recession difficulties millennials have encountered trying to find steady jobs at home. "Many educated young Americans now consider nontraditional starts to their careers, for instance, through temporary overseas assignments with nonprofits like Teach for All," <a href="https://www.bcgperspectives.com/content/articles/human_resources_leadership_decoding_global_talent/?chapter=2#chapter2_section2">the study reports</a>.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/543439ed6bb3f7fc6db602c6-746-609/bcg exhibit 4.jpg" border="0" alt="BCG Exhibit 4">For those US workers who </span><em style="line-height: 1.5em;">would</em><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> welcome the idea of working abroad,<span style="background-color: #ffffff;"> there's a strong pr</span>eference for European or English-speaking countries, with the UK and Canada taking two of the top three spots on the list.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Here are the top 10 foreign countries US workers say they would consider moving to for a job:</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">1. <strong>United Kingdom</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">2. <strong>Germany</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">3. <strong>Canada</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">4. <strong>Italy</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">5. <strong>France</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">6. <strong>Switzerland</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">7. <strong>Australia</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">8.<strong> Ireland</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">9. <strong>Spain</strong></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">10. <strong>Sweden</strong></span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-countries-for-expatriates-2014-10" >10 Best Destinations For People Who Want To Move Abroad</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-moving-abroad-for-jobs-2014-10#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/hsbcs-list-of-best-countries-for-expats-2013-10The 15 Best Countries For You To Move To Right Nowhttp://www.businessinsider.com/hsbcs-list-of-best-countries-for-expats-2013-10
Sat, 02 Nov 2013 15:53:00 -0400Business Insider
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52716832ecad04be2b96e33a-480-/american-flag-and-chinese-flag-expatriot.jpg" border="0" alt="american flag and chinese flag (expatriot)" width="480" /></p><p>Can't get a good job in your own country? Looking for somewhere a little more fun?</p>
<p>Whatever your reasons, great opportunities exist for expatriates around the world.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/#">HSBC's annual Expat Explorer survey</a>&nbsp;ranks the best places to go based on&nbsp;on experience, economics, and raising children abroad, with subcategories for each group. We've picked out the top 15 places overall. (But you can also <a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/#">personalize the rankings</a> based on what factors matter to you.)</p><h3>#15 South Africa</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52718363eab8ea0704fb295a-400-300/15-south-africa.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/country/south-africa#/country/south-africa/chart:histogram">South Africa</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<span>world-class hotels and tourist facilities, which might be why the country ranked so high in quality of accommodation. South Africa also ranked high for cost of childcare.</span></p>
<p>It has a lot of downsides too, however, including a low economic score and prevalent poverty and violent crime.&nbsp;<a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1008.html">The U.S. government warns</a>&nbsp;that Americans visiting and residing in South Africa might be targeted for muggings and other crimes.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>#14 New Zealand </h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/527181e8eab8eadb03fb2957-400-300/14-new-zealand.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><span><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/country/new-zealand">New Zealand</a>&nbsp;has a relatively low crime rate,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_984.html">according to</a><span>&nbsp;the U.S. State Department, and it ranks first on HSBC's report for better quality of life for children, named as the best place for bringing up confident and well-rounded kids.</span></p>
<p>New Zealand's government&nbsp;seems eager to recruit expats, with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/">a snazzy website</a>&nbsp;for people thinking about moving to New Zealand.</p>
<p>It's not all good, though, as New Zealand ranked low for&nbsp;expat&nbsp;disposable income, bringing its ranking down in the economics section.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>#13 Qatar </h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/527263e7ecad04970c7d3d1c-400-300/13-qatar.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/country/qatar">Qatar</a> ranked high for economics but scored low in some quality of life subcategories such as quality of accommodation, entertainment, local shops and markets, and making local friends.</p>
<p>While Qatar is the world's richest country per capita, is is a country in transition.&nbsp;<span>Many residents enjoy amenities like housemaids and five-star airlines, but infrastructure is lacking and there's a big gap between the rich and poor.</span></p>
<p>Qatar also ranked low in HSBC's report for raising children abroad. Indeed, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/before-you-go/9667625/Whats-it-like-to-live-in-Qatar-the-worlds-richest-country.html">The Telegraph</a> points out that many expats educate their children at home.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hsbcs-list-of-best-countries-for-expats-2013-10#12-united-states-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/hsbcs-list-of-best-countries-for-expats-2013-10The 15 Best Countries For You To Move To Right Nowhttp://www.businessinsider.com/hsbcs-list-of-best-countries-for-expats-2013-10
Thu, 31 Oct 2013 16:29:00 -0400Christina Sterbenz, Pamela Engel and Gus Lubin
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52716832ecad04be2b96e33a-480-/american-flag-and-chinese-flag-expatriot.jpg" border="0" alt="american flag and chinese flag (expatriot)" width="480" /></p><p>Can't get a good job in your own country? Looking for somewhere a little more fun?</p>
<p>Whatever your reasons, great opportunities exist for expatriates around the world.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/#">HSBC's annual Expat Explorer survey</a>&nbsp;ranks the best places to go based on experience, economics, and raising children abroad, with subcategories for each group. We've picked out the top 15 places overall. (But you can also <a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/#">personalize the rankings</a> based on what factors matter to you.)</p><h3>15. South Africa</h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52718363eab8ea0704fb295a-400-300/15-south-africa.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/country/south-africa#/country/south-africa/chart:histogram">South Africa</a>&nbsp;has&nbsp;<span>world-class hotels and tourist facilities, which might be why the country ranked so high in quality of accommodation. South Africa also ranked high for cost of childcare.</span></p>
<p>It has a lot of downsides too, however, including a low economic score and prevalent poverty and violent crime.&nbsp;<a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1008.html">The U.S. government warns</a>&nbsp;that Americans visiting and residing in South Africa might be targeted for muggings and other crimes.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>14. New Zealand </h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/527181e8eab8eadb03fb2957-400-300/14-new-zealand.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><span><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/country/new-zealand">New Zealand</a>&nbsp;has a relatively low crime rate,&nbsp;</span><a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_984.html">according to</a><span>&nbsp;the U.S. State Department, and it ranks first on HSBC's report for better quality of life for children, named as the best place for bringing up confident and well-rounded kids.</span></p>
<p>New Zealand's government&nbsp;seems eager to recruit expats, with&nbsp;<a href="http://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz/">a snazzy website</a>&nbsp;for people thinking about moving to New Zealand.</p>
<p>It's not all good, though, as New Zealand ranked low for&nbsp;expat&nbsp;disposable income, bringing its ranking down in the economics section.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>13. Qatar </h3>
<img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/527263e7ecad04970c7d3d1c-400-300/13-qatar.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/country/qatar">Qatar</a> ranked high for economics but scored low in some quality of life subcategories such as quality of accommodation, entertainment, local shops and markets, and making local friends.</p>
<p>While Qatar is the world's richest country per capita, it is a country in transition.&nbsp;<span>Many residents enjoy amenities like housemaids and five-star airlines, but infrastructure is lacking and there's a big gap between the rich and poor.</span></p>
<p>Qatar also ranked low in HSBC's report for raising children abroad. Indeed, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/before-you-go/9667625/Whats-it-like-to-live-in-Qatar-the-worlds-richest-country.html">The Telegraph</a> points out that many expats educate their children at home.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/hsbcs-list-of-best-countries-for-expats-2013-10#12-united-states-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/why-no-one-in-australia-is-ever-worried-about-retirement-2013-8Want To Solve America's Retirement Crisis? Look To Australia For Advicehttp://www.businessinsider.com/why-no-one-in-australia-is-ever-worried-about-retirement-2013-8
Thu, 22 Aug 2013 09:41:06 -0400Richard Eisenberg
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/51f7f999ecad04337e00000d-1200-900/brisbane-australia-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Brisbane Australia" />You know that &ldquo;</span><a href="http://www.nextavenue.org/blog/solution-americas-retirement-crisis" target="_blank">retirement crisis</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&rdquo; America&rsquo;s facing? (More than half of U.S. households risk being unable to maintain their standard of living in retirement. &hellip; Social Security is due to run short of money by 2033. &hellip; About a third of workers aren&rsquo;t offered retirement plans. &hellip;)</span><br />&nbsp;<br />Now imagine living in a country where&nbsp;all&nbsp;employees are covered by an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Where the government equivalent of Social Security is generous. Where people don&rsquo;t tap their retirement funds early, as many Americans do, running the risk of depleting their savings. Where the savings rate is 10 percent.<br />&nbsp;<br />Say G&rsquo;day to Australia.<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>What Australia Is Doing Right</strong><br /><br />Lately, I&rsquo;ve been hearing a lot about Australia&rsquo;s highly rated system (tied with the Netherlands for the second best in the world, behind Denmark, according to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.globalpensionindex.com/" target="_blank">Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index</a>). So I decided to find out more about it and see what America could learn from our friends Down Under. Turns out that if we take a page or two from Australia&rsquo;s playbook, we might be able to junk the phrase &ldquo;retirement crisis&rdquo; when talking about what we'll face when we stop working full-time.<br /><br />(MORE:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nextavenue.org/blog/hiring-older-workers-two-intriguing-ideas-abroad" target="_blank">Hiring Older Workers: Two Intriguing Ideas From Abroad</a>)<br />&nbsp;<br />There are three pieces in Australia&rsquo;s retirement system:<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>The Age Pension</strong>&nbsp;<br />That&rsquo;s their version of Social Security and it pays up to about $28,000 a year to people roughly 65 and older. (The age is scheduled to rise to 67 in 2023). Australians don&rsquo;t pay into the system as we do with Social Security; the money comes from the government&rsquo;s general revenues.<br />&nbsp;<br />Unlike Social Security, the Age Pension is means-tested; benefits are reduced for Australians with high incomes or substantial assets, using a sliding scale. About 56 percent of people get the full pension; the rest get a reduced version.<br />&nbsp;<br />Qualifying for the Age Pension also entitles recipients to valuable government-provided benefits, like discounted prescription drugs and transportation expenses.<br />&nbsp;<br />A mandatory retirement saving program known as The Super (short for Superannuation Guarantee)&nbsp;This is the lynchpin to Australia&rsquo;s retirement system. With The Super, employers are required to contribute into tax-advantaged retirement plans, like 401(k)s, 9.25 percent of earnings for virtually all employees age 18 to 70. That percentage will gradually rise to 12 percent by 2020. Employees choose where to invest the money.<br /><br />(MORE:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nextavenue.org/blog/solution-americas-retirement-crisis" target="_blank">Is This the Solution to America&rsquo;s Retirement Crisis?</a>)<br /><br />Earnings are taxed 10 percent as they accrue and there&rsquo;s a 15 percent capital gains tax on profits from investments held more than a year. But as with America&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nextavenue.org/article/2011-11/pros-and-cons-roth-ira" target="_blank">Roth IRAs</a>, retirement withdrawals are tax-free. Australians can begin taking the money at 55, if they&rsquo;re retired.<br />&nbsp;<br />Unlike 401(k)s, loans from the Saver aren&rsquo;t permitted and pre-retirement withdrawals are generally forbidden. (One reason Australia could get away with these tough rules: its public health system prevents residents from getting socked with huge medical bills, as can happen in America.)<br />&nbsp;<br />Voluntary savings&nbsp;Employees can contribute to The Super on their own, but just 20 percent choose to do so, according to Julie Agnew, author of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College article &ldquo;<a href="http://crr.bc.edu/briefs/australia%E2%80%99s-retirement-system-strengths-weaknesses-and-reforms-2" target="_blank">Australia&rsquo;s Retirement System: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Reforms</a>.&rdquo;<br />&nbsp;<br />Australians can also save for retirement and for other purposes outside of work. Many do, which explains the 10 percent saving rate.<br />&nbsp;<br />Overall, Australia &ldquo;has done a really great job,&rdquo; says Allison Schrager, a New York City-based economist who&nbsp;<a href="http://qz.com/55166/australias-pension-plan-has-the-right-idea-if-only-retirees-stopped-trying-to-game-it" target="_blank">wrote about the system for the website Quartz</a>.<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>How Australia Got Serious About Retirement</strong><br /><br />But it wasn&rsquo;t always so.<br /><br />(MORE:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nextavenue.org/article/2013-05/how-get-americans-save-10-percent-retirement" target="_blank">How to Get Americans to Save 10% for Retirement</a>)<br /><br />&ldquo;In the 1980s, our retirement-plan coverage was similar to what is in the U.S. now,&rdquo; says David Knox, senior partner for Mercer and author of the firm&rsquo;s annual global retirement report. &ldquo;A little less than half the workforce was covered by pension plans.&rdquo;<br />&nbsp;<br />Realizing this and fearful that an aging population would strain Australia&rsquo;s Age Pension system, the government and unions got together to create The Super. Initially, employers had to kick in 3 percent of pay.<br />&nbsp;<br />The key was that, unlike in the United States, all employees would be covered. &ldquo;It didn&rsquo;t matter if you employed one person or 10,000 people,&rdquo; Knox says. There&rsquo;s no Super for self-employed people, however.<br />&nbsp;<br />&ldquo;In the United States, your retirement coverage and how much you can set aside depends on what your employer offers,"&nbsp;says Arthur Noonan, a Mercer senior partner based in Pittsburgh. "We&rsquo;ve made it more difficult than it needs to be."<br />&nbsp;<br />There&rsquo;s one hidden catch with The Super&rsquo;s mandatory employer contributions: employees get lower pay and smaller raises than they would otherwise, since the money has to come from somewhere. &ldquo;Instead of wages going up by one and a half percent a year, they&rsquo;ve gone up between one-half and one percent,&rdquo; Knox says.<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Australia's System Isn't Perfect</strong><br /><br />And for all the beauties of Australia&rsquo;s retirement system, I wouldn&rsquo;t call it perfect. Mercer&rsquo;s index bestowed a B+ grade (much better than America&rsquo;s Gentleman C, however).<br />&nbsp;<br />For one thing, I don&rsquo;t think all the onus should be on the government and employers. Individuals ought to be required to save for retirement, too &ndash; or at least have contributions automatically taken out of their pay unless they choose to opt out. &ldquo;If I was to design the system from scratch, I&rsquo;d have the employees contribute,&rdquo; Knox says.<br />&nbsp;<br />To make the program truly uniform, the self-employed should also have access to The Super.<br />&nbsp;<br />Another flaw: Australians can&rsquo;t annuitize their Super accounts and receive monthly installments over their lifetimes. This makes older Australians &ldquo;heavily exposed to longevity, inflation and investment risks,&rdquo; Agnew wrote. Translation: The ability to take their Super funds in a lump sum boosts the odds that they&rsquo;ll spend the money faster and run out of cash.<br />&nbsp;<br />When the Super was created, Schrager says, &ldquo;they didn&rsquo;t think through how people will spend down their money.&rdquo;<br />&nbsp;<br />Schrager also bemoans the ability to game the Age Pension by making sly money moves. For instance, housing wealth isn&rsquo;t counted in the asset test, so Australians in their 50s are taking on more housing debt than ever, she says, then paying it off with their Super.<br />&nbsp;<br />&ldquo;There are some issues with the Australian retirement system, but they&rsquo;re relatively easier to fix than the ones we&rsquo;re facing here,&rdquo; Schrager says.<br />&nbsp;<br />There&rsquo;s no denying Australians are in better shape for retirement than Americans.<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>What America Can Learn</strong><br /><br />Could their system work here?<br />&nbsp;<br />Well, there&rsquo;s zero chance that Congress and the president would require employers to offer retirement plans then contribute to them on behalf of their employees. So I doubt we&rsquo;ll ever get close to Australia&rsquo;s broad coverage.<br />&nbsp;<br />And I&rsquo;m not expecting Social Security to get means tested anytime soon, since too many Americans would squawk about not getting their benefits after paying into the system.<br />&nbsp;<br />But if we won&rsquo;t require firms to put away retirement money for employees, why not do the next best thing and make the ones that offer plans&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nextavenue.org/article/2013-05/how-get-americans-save-10-percent-retirement" target="_blank">automatically enroll staffers</a>&nbsp;unless the workers choose to opt out? Better still, require the plans to feature auto-escalation, so the percentage that employees save goes up each year.<br />&nbsp;<br />&ldquo;We could get a lot more saving by opting people into retirement plans with the option to default out,&rdquo; Schrager says.<br />&nbsp;<br />The push for mandatory auto-enrollment and auto-escalation has been growing lately, with the strange bedfellows of&nbsp;<a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/the-best-life/2013/07/29/aarp-us-chamber-of-commerce-partner-on-retirement-plans" target="_blank">AARP and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce</a>&nbsp;embracing it, along with a number of financial services firms.<br />&nbsp;<br />Reuters&rsquo;&nbsp;<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/01/us-column-miller-idUSBRE9700XR20130801" target="_blank">Mark Miller recently noted&nbsp;</a>that, according to Putnam Investments, employees who are automatically enrolled in workplace plans are on track to replace 91 percent of their pre-retirement income in retirement and those in auto-escalation plans are headed to 95 percent replacement rates.<br />&nbsp;<br />Maybe we can&rsquo;t easily spread retirement joy like Nutella. But it&rsquo;s time to stop decrying America&rsquo;s flawed retirement system and start fixing it.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/make-your-retirement-savings-last-2013-8" >Could Your Retirement Savings Last You Until 120?</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-no-one-in-australia-is-ever-worried-about-retirement-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-is-a-status-symbol-overseas-2013-8Eating McDonald's Is A Major Status Symbol Overseashttp://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-is-a-status-symbol-overseas-2013-8
Fri, 09 Aug 2013 12:18:00 -0400John W. Schoen
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5204ff036bb3f7d43d000000-480-/mcdonalds-hamburger.png" border="0" alt="mcdonalds hamburger" width="480" /></p><p>Along the upward journey to middle-class status, a growing number of people around the world are working up quite a voracious appetite. <br /><br />The developing world has fallen big time for all-American exports like Footlongs, Big Macs and Extra Crispy Chicken Tenders.</p>
<p>Despite early signs that a fast-food diet is no healthier in Beijing than it is in Boston, consumers who are new to middle-class dining seem less concerned about the health risks of the high-fat, high-sodium fare that many Americans now seek to avoid.</p>
<p>As the U.S. economy slogs along at a tepid pace, household incomes in much of the developing world are leaping ahead. Over the next two decades, those gains are expected to introduce billions of new consumers to menus from fast-food chains that are among some of the most iconic American brands.</p>
<p>And as many chains have saturated the U.S. market (and American tastes have shifted) the fast-food industry is finding a hungry market in far-flung locations&mdash;from Malawi to Mongolia.</p>
<p>"A lot of domestic chains are completely refocusing their business on the international market," said IBISWorld Industry analyst Andy Brennan. "And most of them have been quite successful at it."</p>
<p>IBISWorld pegs global fast-food sales at $190 billion but does not break out non-U.S. sales.</p>
<p>That is because for most fast-food chains, the formula that worked at home&mdash;low-cost menu items, prepared consistently and served quickly&mdash;seems to translate well for foreign consumers with newfound disposable income.</p>
<p>(Read more: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100949800" target="_self" data-nodeid="100949800">A new species? The elusive nature of the global middle class</a>)</p>
<p>These companies are also riding a wave of global brand awareness, thanks to increased international travel and the powerful reach of the Web.</p>
<p>For many new arrivals to middle-class life, a meal at an iconic American fast-food outlet also bestows a level of prestige, according to Brennan.</p>
<p>"It's a real status symbol to be eating in an American restaurant in Asia," he said.</p>
<p><a href="http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/YUM" target="_self" data-gdsid="37311" data-inline-quote-symbol="YUM">Yum Brands</a>&mdash;the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell&mdash;generated more than 70 percent of its profits, or $1.1 billion, outside the U.S. last year, up from just 20 percent 15 years earlier.</p>
<p>(Read more: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100940018" target="_self" data-nodeid="100940018">Higher bills? Thank for emerging middle class</a>)</p>
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<p>"We believe we have a long runway for growth in emerging markets like China, India, Africa, Russia, Indonesia, Vietnam and many others," a Yum spokeswoman said in email.<br /><br />That overseas growth comes as the company has an increasingly tough time finding a U.S. location that isn't already well-supplied with Hot Wings, Cantina Double Steak Quesadillas and Ultimate Cheese Lover's Pizza. In the top 10 emerging markets, Yum Brands has just two stores per million people&mdash;compared with 58 stores per million in the U.S.<br /><br />As any traveler to a foreign country will tell you, adapting to strange tastes and diets can be challenging.<br /><br />More than half of Subway's new stores last year were opened outside the U.S. by franchisees and other business partners. When it began expanding globally more than a decade ago, some of those partners "took local tastes a little too far," according to Don Fertman, Subway's chief development officer.<br /><br />Japan franchisees tried to downsize the company's flagship Footlong sandwich on the theory that local customers weren't interested in larger portions.<br /><br />"That's what Subway is known for," said Fertman. "So that didn't really work out."<br /><br />(Read more: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100932791">Singles Day supercharges China's new middle-class consumers</a>)<br /><br />Appealing to local markets also involves adapting a store's physical design and layout to conform to local tastes in decor and architecture&mdash;a move that can also backfire. Fertman said an Austrian partner once tried to introduce a "modern, cold look that was virtually unrecognizable to Subway customers."<br /><br />"It was more like a disco," he said. "All steel and rock. So folks that were looking for Subway weren't finding it."<br /><br />But adhering strictly to the original formula isn't always possible, no matter how successful it is with American consumers.<br /><br />McDonald's offers customers in India a potato-based veggie burger, McAloo Tikki or the McCurry, served with or without chicken. It includes curried broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms and red bell pepper, with creamy sauce on a baked crust. In many Latin American countries you'll find the McMollette&mdash;an English muffin served with refried beans, cheese and salsa.</p>
<div id="article_body" class="content font-content" style="font-size: 1em;">
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<p>Along the upward journey to middle-class status, a growing number of people around the world are working up quite a voracious appetite. The developing world has fallen big time for all-American exports like Footlongs, Big Macs and Extra Crispy Chicken Tenders.</p>
<p>Despite early signs that a fast-food diet is no healthier in Beijing than it is in Boston, consumers who are new to middle-class dining seem less concerned about the health risks of the high-fat, high-sodium fare that many Americans now seek to avoid.</p>
<p>As the U.S. economy slogs along at a tepid pace, household incomes in much of the developing world are leaping ahead. Over the next two decades, those gains are expected to introduce billions of new consumers to menus from fast-food chains that are among some of the most iconic American brands.</p>
<p>And as many chains have saturated the U.S. market (and American tastes have shifted) the fast-food industry is finding a hungry market in far-flung locations&mdash;from Malawi to Mongolia.</p>
<p>"A lot of domestic chains are completely refocusing their business on the international market," said IBISWorld Industry analyst Andy Brennan. "And most of them have been quite successful at it."</p>
<p>IBISWorld pegs global fast-food sales at $190 billion but does not break out non-U.S. sales.</p>
<p>That is because for most fast-food chains, the formula that worked at home&mdash;low-cost menu items, prepared consistently and served quickly&mdash;seems to translate well for foreign consumers with newfound disposable income</p>
<p>(Read more: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100949800" target="_self" data-nodeid="100949800">A new species? The elusive nature of the global middle class</a>)</p>
<p>These companies are also riding a wave of global brand awareness, thanks to increased international travel and the powerful reach of the Web.</p>
<p>For many new arrivals to middle-class life, a meal at an iconic American fast-food outlet also bestows a level of prestige, according to Brennan.</p>
<p>"It's a real status symbol to be eating in an American restaurant in Asia," he said.</p>
<p><a href="http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/YUM" target="_self" data-gdsid="37311" data-inline-quote-symbol="YUM">Yum Brands</a>&mdash;the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell&mdash;generated more than 70 percent of its profits, or $1.1 billion, outside the U.S. last year, up from just 20 percent 15 years earlier.</p>
<p>(Read more: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100940018" target="_self" data-nodeid="100940018">Higher bills? Thank for emerging middle class</a>)</p>
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<p>"We believe we have a long runway for growth in emerging markets like China, India, Africa, Russia, Indonesia, Vietnam and many others," a Yum spokeswoman said in email.</p>
<p>That overseas growth comes as the company has an increasingly tough time finding a U.S. location that isn't already well-supplied with Hot Wings, Cantina Double Steak Quesadillas and Ultimate Cheese Lover's Pizza. In the top 10 emerging markets, Yum Brands has just two stores per million people&mdash;compared with 58 stores per million in the U.S.</p>
<p>As any traveler to a foreign country will tell you, adapting to strange tastes and diets can be challenging.</p>
<p>More than half of <a href="http://data.cnbc.com/quotes/MCD" target="_self" data-gdsid="24334" data-inline-quote-symbol="MCD">Subway</a>'s new stores last year were opened outside the U.S. by franchisees and other business partners. When it began expanding globally more than a decade ago, some of those partners "took local tastes a little too far," according to Don Fertman, Subway's chief development officer.</p>
<p>Japan franchisees tried to downsize the company's flagship Footlong sandwich on the theory that local customers weren't interested in larger portions.</p>
<p>"That's what Subway is known for," said Fertman. "So that didn't really work out."</p>
<p>(Read more: <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100932791" target="_self" data-nodeid="100932791">Singles Day supercharges China's new middle-class consumers</a>)</p>
<p>Appealing to local markets also involves adapting a store's physical design and layout to conform to local tastes in decor and architecture&mdash;a move that can also backfire. Fertman said an Austrian partner once tried to introduce a "modern, cold look that was virtually unrecognizable to Subway customers."</p>
<p>"It was more like a disco," he said. "All steel and rock. So folks that were looking for Subway weren't finding it."</p>
<p>But adhering strictly to the original formula isn't always possible, no matter how successful it is with American consumers.</p>
<p>McDonald's offers customers in India a potato-based veggie burger, McAloo Tikki or the McCurry, served with or without chicken. It includes curried broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms and red bell pepper, with creamy sauce on a baked crust. In many Latin American countries you'll find the McMollette&mdash;an English muffin served with refried beans, cheese and salsa.</p>
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<p>In Saudi Arabia, Subway's menu sticks with Halal foods and preparation methods. And if you're looking for a Subway sandwich in any other predominantly Muslim or Hindu country, don't bother asking for sliced roast beef or ham. Instead, there's a choice of turkey or lamb cold cuts on your Footlong.</p>
<p>Finding those ingredients&mdash;especially in parts of the world with limited infrastructure and poorly developed distribution systems&mdash;poses a major challenge.</p>
<p>"Even the mature companies can have supply chain issues overseas," said IBISWorld's Brennan. "That's really an unpredictable factor."</p>
<p>Yum Brands felt the full effect of those risks in December, when Chinese food safety agencies launched a probe of the company's supply chain after excess levels of antibiotics were found in chicken from two suppliers. Yum was not fined, but the probe sparked a widespread backlash in Chinese media and on social media sites.</p>
<p>In April, reports about a new bird flu renewed local concerns about the safety of its chicken. Sales plummeted at its KFC outlets, though the company says they have since begun to recover.</p>
<p>American fast-food chains have also been wrestling with a wider range of health concerns at home, as many consumers are changing domestic eating habits in response to an ongoing obesity epidemic. Many diners are now paying more attention to the long-term health impact of the high-fat, high-sodium fare that has been long been a best-selling fast-food industry staple.</p>
<p>So far, those concerns have had much less impact on sales in emerging markets, where entrance to the middle class includes consumption of higher-calorie, higher-fat food products that are only available with more disposable income.</p>
<p>That may another reason America's food makers are finding a more welcoming clientele in the developing world.</p>
<p>"Obesity is a sign of wealth," said Brennan. "The prestige factor of these fast-food menus overrides the health concern to a degree."</p>
<p>&mdash;By CNBC's John W. Schoen. Follow him on Twitter</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-twttr-rendered="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/johnwschoen" target="_self">@johhwschoen</a><em></em></blockquote>
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</div><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amys-baking-company-selling-meltdown-merch-2013-8" >Amy's Baking Company Is Selling Hats And T-Shirts Based On Its Epic Meltdown</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-is-a-status-symbol-overseas-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-to-think-about-when-going-abroad-2013-8The Wrong Kind Of International Experience Can Kill A Company Abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-to-think-about-when-going-abroad-2013-8
Thu, 08 Aug 2013 09:50:00 -0400Susan E. Perkins
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/52016aa769bedd037e000011-480-360/brazil-flag-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Brazil flag" width="480" height="360" /></p><p>Brazil, after decades of inflation, enacted a set of financial reforms in 1994 known as the Plano Real. Multinational corporations began coming to the country, lured by its newly stabilized economy and dollar-denominated currency. Susan Perkins, an assistant professor of management and organizations at the Kellogg School of Management, was working in S&atilde;o Paulo for a management consulting firm at the time. Company after company came to her firm for help&mdash;but often not with the problems she would have expected.</p>
<p>"A lot of the work that we were doing wasn't based around companies' business models," Perkins remembers. "It was based around their inability to understand the institutional environment [in Brazil] and how the rules of regulation in their industry were changing." Business they understood, that is, but how to do business in Brazil often proved mystifying. "There were pretty sad stories of multinational corporations who'd spent millions&mdash;and billions in some cases&mdash;in capital investments but were really suffering because they were having a tough time navigating through this variation in environment relative to their home country,&rdquo; she explains.</p>
<p>Now with an academic rather than consulting interest in multinational corporations, Perkins wondered: What was it that caused many seemingly solid multinational companies to fail in a new market&mdash;and what allowed others to succeed?<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a six-fold magnitude difference between bringing the right type of regulatory knowledge and bringing the wrong type of experience.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><strong>Many Types of Experience</strong><br />In a recent study, Perkins examined how companies' previous international experience contributed to their success entering the Brazilian market. Earlier research has shown that having more overall international experience can help companies succeed in such situations. But what about different<em>&nbsp;kinds</em>&nbsp;of experience?</p>
<p>Perkins was particularly interested in what is known as institutional experience: knowledge about regulations, laws, and the political landscape&mdash;in other words, the rules of the game. "Regardless of a firm's business strategy, they have to figure out how to navigate the complexities of institutions and how institutions are set up in a country," Perkins says. (Here at the Kellogg School, she explains, this is called &ldquo;non-market strategy.&rdquo;)</p>
<p>Previous studies have had a tendency to collapse institutional experience with, say, skills-based experience (practice at doing what needs to be done&mdash;making car parts or widgets, for instance) and internationalization experience (practice entering foreign markets). "Experience has been something of a count model: I've been to Brazil seven times versus one; I've deployed those auto parts in eight markets versus three," Perkins says. "I argue it's not really about count. It's about the differences between markets, and whether multinational investment managers have accounted for these differences and adapted the strategic plans to fill the institutional gaps."</p>
<p>Perkins&rsquo; study focused on 96 foreign-owned firms entering the telecommunications industry in Brazil between 1997 and 2004. In a series of mathematical models, she mapped out how a variety of factors contributed to whether a firm succeeded or failed in the Brazilian market. In particular, she focused on three aspects of firms' institutional experience: regulatory similarity, or how closely their past international investments shared Brazil&rsquo;s institutional environment; the breadth of their experience, or the range of different institutional environments they had dealt with in the past; and the depth of their experience, or how much previous experience they had with the particular sorts of rules and regulations one encounters in Brazil.</p>
<p><strong>The Good Is Good, But the Bad Is Worse</strong><br />Perkins found that prior international institutional experience indeed helped companies succeed. But when she examined different types of institutional experience separately, that story changed: Firms with experience in institutional environments similar to Brazil's fared better in Brazil, while those with experience in dissimilar environments actually fared worse. Moreover, irrelevant experience was a far bigger drawback than relevant experience was a benefit&mdash;firms with dissimilar experience were six times more likely to fail than firms with similar experience.</p>
<p>"There's a six-fold magnitude difference between bringing the right type of regulatory knowledge and bringing the wrong type of experience. With the right type of experience, you're going to do better on average, but if you bring the thinking from Indianapolis, Indiana, to S&atilde;o Paulo, it's going to be a problem," says Perkins.</p>
<p><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/520169346bb3f7a572000010-464-337/download-9.png" border="0" alt="kellogg insight risk graph" width="800" /><br />Companies with a greater breadth or depth of experience operating in a country similar to Brazil were also more successful. In fact, depth was the single variable that best predicted how long a company would last in Brazil. This is likely because managers could draw upon rich past experiences with a particular institutional characteristic, Perkins says, and then tailor them to a new market. As one telecom executive told her, "Many of the [regulatory strategies] that we used in India are similar to things that we are doing in Turkey and similar to what we&rsquo;re doing in Brazil&mdash;but, of course, always particularized to the country that we are in."</p>
<p><strong>What It Means for Managers</strong><br />Many multinational companies do not take full advantage of the organizational knowledge they acquire as they go from country to country, Perkins says. Her study suggests that leveraging that knowledge&mdash;drawing on past experiences in a targeted, relevant way&mdash;is linked to a company's success.</p>
<p>Understanding the role of institutional experience can also help companies predict which opportunities offer greater chances for success&mdash;even if they are not, at first glance, the obvious choices. Multinational corporations often think of markets in terms of numbers&mdash;the large size and many growth opportunities in China, for instance. "But even if China is a great opportunity because of the GDP growth, if everything your firm has done up until this point is not remotely related to China, there's a really high likelihood that you're going to fail at first attempt," Perkins says. "There are some longer-term implications for multinationals in optimizing their internationalization strategy: After I've gone to Brazil, where do I go next, and next?" Her advice? Go to the country that leverages your prior experience best.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-to-think-about-when-going-abroad-2013-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/10-best-foodie-tours-2013-810 Foodie Adventures You Need To Take This Lifetimehttp://www.businessinsider.com/10-best-foodie-tours-2013-8
Tue, 06 Aug 2013 17:15:00 -0400GetYourGuide
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-5415-f471-33aa-edd520a8fa38"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/52010f24eab8eaed7f000013-480-/soup-dumplings-3.jpg" border="0" alt="soup dumplings" width="480" />Some people travel for adventure. Others hit the road for romance, work, or just to escape the grind of everyday life. More and more, however, travelers are planning their trips around food. </span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-5415-f471-33aa-edd520a8fa38"><a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/%20">Culinary tourism</a> is one of the best ways to dig in and experience a foreign culture. From learning to <a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/shanghai-l178/chinese-cooking-class-in-local-family-s-home-in-shanghai-t31870/"><span>cook dumplings</span></a> in Shanghai, to <a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/madrid-l46/the-walking-tapas-with-wine-tour-of-madrid-t1235/"><span>tapas tours</span></a> of Madrid, focusing on food allows travelers to connect with locals, try new flavors and expand their cooking repertoire. </span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-5415-f471-33aa-edd520a8fa38">Here are 10 foodie-centric tours from around the world that are sure to tantalize your taste-buds:</span></p><h3>1. Flee The Resort In Mexico</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52011ab5ecad040d45000019-400-300/1-flee-the-resort-in-mexico.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-542c-0fb9-6b55-2678b5e78d5d"><span>Mexico is a tourist mecca, but the food in most resorts, such as in Cancun or Cozumel, is far from the fresh local cuisine foodies know and love. So, be adventurous and leave the confines of your all-inclusive resort for a food tour of&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/cozumel-l309/cozumel-food-tour-t14219/"><span>San Miguel</span></a><span>. </span></span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-542c-0fb9-6b55-2678b5e78d5d"><span>Sip horchatas while nibbling on ceviche tostadas (made from fish straight off the boat) and other Yucatan delicacies. Gobble up mole enchiladas, fresh coconut, crispy tacos, savory soups, regional sweets, and more while you try out your Spanish skills on local artisans.</span></span></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>2. Hit The Street In Vancouver</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/52011cf06bb3f79d64000002-400-300/2-hit-the-street-in-vancouver.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-5452-0632-45ce-5cefed0ba778"><span>Sure, Vancouver has a thriving restaurant scene that is </span><a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/vancouver-l189/gastown-walking-food-tour-t31878/"><span>not to be missed</span></a><span>. But some of the city&rsquo;s most exciting and innovative cuisine is located right on its streets. Hop from small carts to food trucks on a tour of Vancouver&rsquo;s </span><a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/vancouver-l189/world-s-best-street-eats-tour-in-vancouver-t22059/"><span>street food</span></a><span>. &nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-5452-0632-45ce-5cefed0ba778"><span>We&rsquo;re talking Berkshire pork hot dogs at Japadog, a Japanese fusion hot dog cart, and butter chicken naan kebabs from the Top Chef approved Soho Road Naan Keba cart. Move on to a hot smoked wild salmon sandwich from Kaboombox, possibly the world&rsquo;s only salmon-smoking food truck, &nbsp;and then switch gears and head over to visit the Roaming Dragon, British Columbia's first mobile gourmet food truck, and sample their acclaimed rice balls.</span></span></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>3. Goa Cooking Course</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/52012311eab8ea212f00000c-400-300/3-goa-cooking-course.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-545c-3e7e-4c8c-a10ba0602557"><span>Goa is known for its gorgeous beaches and wild parties, but it&rsquo;s also a haven for foodies. The cuisine combines Indian food with Portuguese influences (they had a settlement here in the Colonial period). Get acquainted with the area&rsquo;s history and learn some new skills with a 3-day </span><a href="http://www.getyourguide.com/goa-l825/3-day-cooking-course-in-the-siolim-house-t28020/"><span>cooking course</span></a><span> at the boutique Siolim House hotel, a palacio built in 1675 during the Portuguese occupation. </span></span></p>
<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17bbf6eb-545c-3e7e-4c8c-a10ba0602557"><span>From tradition Hindu vegetarian cuisine (try their staple kokum fruit), to fresh fish curries and Catholic dishes like arroz doce and their world famous vindaloo (did you know the name comes from the Portuguese?), you&rsquo;ll be immersed in the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Indian delicacies.</span></span></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/10-best-foodie-tours-2013-8#4-conquer-korean-cuisine-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-your-credit-card-overseas-2013-2The Best Strategy For Using Your Credit Cards Overseashttp://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-your-credit-card-overseas-2013-2
Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:53:14 -0500Neal Frankle
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4d4867d4ccd1d51920280000-400-300/sdfv4104430629_458d3e1340_b.jpg" border="0" alt="skydiving flag" width="400" height="300" /></p><p>If you use your credit card overseas, you know what it feels like to be taken to the cleaners.</p>
<p>Many tack on as much as 3% on every transaction.</p>
<p>Others have a fixed fee every time you use the card overseas or hit the ATM.</p>
<p>If you spend $5,000 while you&rsquo;re on vacation, these credit card costs could rack up several hundred dollars in extra costs. Mon Dieu!</p>
<p>Many people worry about getting the best <a href="http://wealthpilgrim.com/maximize-credit-card-reward-points/" target="_blank">cards with the most rewards points</a>. &nbsp;But if you travel, you have to think about minimizing your costs as well. &nbsp;</p>
<p>Fortunately there are a few simply steps you can take to keep that money out of the credit card company vaults and in your own pockets. Here&rsquo;s how:</p>
<p><strong>1. Flex Your Power</strong></p>
<p>If you have an <a href="http://wealthpilgrim.com/how-i-got-my-free-credit-score-online-with-no-credit-card/" target="_blank">excellent credit score</a>, realize that the credit card companies love you. They desperately want customers like you and are often willing to waive all kinds of fees in order to get your business.</p>
<p>Before you say &ldquo;Bon Voyage&rdquo;, call your credit card company and ask about foreign transaction fees on card purchases and ATM withdrawals. If the company does impose fees, ask them for a waiver because of your outstanding credit rating. If they won&rsquo;t play ball, start using a&nbsp;<a href="http://wealthpilgrim.com/switch-credit-cards/" target="_blank">different credit card</a>.</p>
<p>Don&rsquo;t waste time trying to read the fine print of the credit card contract. Just give them a call. Get the information and jot down who you spoke with.</p>
<p><strong>2. Probe</strong></p>
<p>If your credit card issuer is also a bank, ask about the ATM charges for foreign branches. Also, find out if your bank has an arrangement with a foreign bank so that you can use those ATMs free of charge.</p>
<p>Remember to ask about ATM fees but don&rsquo;t stop there. Find out about access fees, international transaction fees and foreign currency fees. These guys are sneaky so make sure you ask all the questions.</p>
<p><strong>3. Be Smart</strong></p>
<p>Minimize your use of cash overseas but when you do need some spending money, don&rsquo;t use your credit card to get it unless it doubles as an ATM card. That&rsquo;s because you could be charged north of 20% interest until you pay that credit card bill. Aye Caramba! Ay Yay Yay!</p>
<p><strong>4. Double Up</strong></p>
<p>Always take a second card. I learned about the importance of this the hard way. We were traveling recently and the credit card company didn&rsquo;t know about it. They thought some &ldquo;paisan&rdquo; in Italy had stolen our card and was roaming the canals of Venice on our dime. As a result they locked the card down.</p>
<p>This was fine except that I didn&rsquo;t know about the lock down until I was trying to buy a ticket to visit the Vatican and couldn&rsquo;t use this credit card. You can imagine how I felt when my first card was declined. Fortunately, I had a second card and we were able to continue our trip.</p>
<p>Even if one of your cards doesn&rsquo;t get locked down, you could run into a vendor that doesn&rsquo;t accept one card or another. And overseas fraud runs rampant when it comes to credit cards. Your card could be shut down at a very inopportune time.</p>
<p><strong>5. Share</strong></p>
<p>If you are going to travel let your credit card company know about it. This will help you avoid the situation we faced in Italy. When they see the charges coming in from overseas your company will understand why you are in Paris instead of Pittsburgh. This way they will allow you to keep using your card. Tres Bien.</p>
<p><strong>6. Just in Case</strong></p>
<p>Most cards have contact numbers on the card itself. But that&rsquo;s little value if your purse or wallet gets stolen. If you look at your credit card now, you can find the contact numbers both in and outside the United States. Keep those numbers in a safe place other than your wallet or purse.</p>
<p>When you are on vacation overseas, let your hair down a little and focus on fun. That&rsquo;s as it should be. But take these few precautions anyway to make sure nothing keeps you from having the best time possible.</p>
<p>What other tips can you share with regards to <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/travel/deals/inside/2009-05-21-best-overseas-credit-card_N.htm" target="_blank">using a credit card overseas</a>?</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/10-places-you-never-thought-you-could-afford-to-travel-2013-2" >10 places you never thought you could afford to travel ></a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-your-credit-card-overseas-2013-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/five-bars-for-a-study-abroad-budget-2012-115 Wild International Bars For Study Abroad Students On A Budgethttp://www.businessinsider.com/five-bars-for-a-study-abroad-budget-2012-11
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:09:30 -0500PartyEarth.com
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/50a3d284eab8ea2376000004-400-/the-roxy-bar-london.jpg" border="0" alt="the roxy bar london" width="400" /></p><p>It&rsquo;s incredible how fast the value of currency is changing these days; by that we mean it&rsquo;s incredible how fast that 20 euro bill in your wallet suddenly turns into a couple awkwardly large coins lost somewhere at the bottom of your backpack.</p>
<p>While studying abroad may feel like an extended vacation most of the time, one thing is most certainly not luxurious about the experience: your ever-tightening budget.</p>
<p>The good people at Party Earth understand your desire to avoid the inevitable kiss-of-death email from Mom with the subject line &ldquo;stop spending money on alcohol.&rdquo;</p>
<p>They also understand the importance of spending money on beer, which is why they&rsquo;ve compiled a list of great student bars throughout Europe that are guaranteed to offer you a cheap drink and a good time. <br /><br /><em>This story was originally published by <a href="http://www.partyearth.com/">Party Earth</a>.</em><br /><br /></p><h3>N’Importe Quoi: Paris </h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/50a3d10b69bedd5204000013-400-300/nimporte-quoi-paris.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>If you are on the hunt for the kind of bar that still has an &ldquo;Operation Flash Boob&rdquo; policy in place that awards free shots to girls who show their assets, <a href="http://www.partyearth.com/paris/bars/nimporte-quoi-2/">N&rsquo;importe Quoi </a>is the quintessential place to make that happen.</p>
<p>Although it isn&rsquo;t much to look at on the inside or out, this tiny dive bar offers endless drink specials and no-frills fun. From the bottle-spinning bartenders, to the rowdy crowd of college students looking for some cheap thrills, everything about N&rsquo;importe Quoi makes it one of the perfect&nbsp;<a href="http://www.partyearth.com/paris/bars/">bars in Paris</a> for some down-to-earth boozing.</p>
<p><em>16 Rue du Roule</em><br /><em>75001 Paris</em></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>The Roxy: London</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/50a3d1436bb3f7ca32000017-400-300/the-roxy-london.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>Although <a href="http://www.partyearth.com/london/clubs/the-roxy-2/">The Roxy</a> boasts ivory chandeliers, chamois barstools, and sleek leather loungers, patrons will most likely be focused on dancing to the venue&rsquo;s retro and pop DJs and surviving the crowd swell of university students. If you get to The Roxy early enough you can enjoy half-priced wine and beer during Happy Hour that runs Monday though Friday. Wednesday is official student night where you will find crowds of rowdy lads and lasses enjoying affordable drinks and socializing shoulder-to-shoulder.</p>
<p><em>3 Rathbone Place</em><br /><em>London W1D 1</em></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Chupitos: Barcelona</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/50a3d0c76bb3f79433000011-400-300/chupitos-barcelona.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p><a href="http://www.partyearth.com/barcelona/bars/chupitos-2/">Chupitos</a> is a rowdy bar that specializes in creative shots and dramatic bar service performances, some of which involve lighting the bar on fire with a blowtorch. The tiny bar attracts a mix of fun-loving locals and young international travelers looking to grab a simple and cheap drink. The venue is a dark hall with a bar on one side and spunky menu board featuring shots with names like &ldquo;the General&rdquo; and &ldquo;the Monica Lewinsky&rdquo; on the other. The cramped but wild atmosphere at Chupitos makes this one of the best <a href="http://www.partyearth.com/barcelona/bars/">bars in Barcelona</a> to pregame some late-night adventures.</p>
<p><em>Passeig de Col&oacute;n, 8</em><br /><em>08002 Barcelona</em></p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/five-bars-for-a-study-abroad-budget-2012-11#the-red-garter--florence-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/six-affordable-places-to-retire-abroad-2012-10The Six Cheapest Places To Retire Abroad This Year http://www.businessinsider.com/six-affordable-places-to-retire-abroad-2012-10
Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:05:00 -0400Michael Foster
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/508567ea6bb3f78971000001-400-/puetro-madero-buenos-aires-argentina.jpg" border="0" alt="puetro madero buenos aires argentina" width="400" /></p><p>Over the 20th century, many retirees moved from New England, California and the Midwest to the sunny and sparsely populated Sun Belt, where low taxes and warm weather beckoned.</p>
<p>Today, many Americans are moving much farther afield to enjoy a new life at a low cost.</p>
<p>Thousands are migrating to Asia, South America, Europe and beyond to stretch their retirement dollars. And foreign countries, eager for the boost to their economies, have taken notice.</p>
<p>With so many nations interested in attracting retirees from abroad, Americans are spoiled for choice. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/bankrate" class="hidden_link">Bankrate</a> uncovers six up-and-coming destinations where retirees can easily live on an income of $2,000 a month. In some cases, retirees are already living there for far less.</p>
<p>Read on to discover the affordability of housing, food and medical care at these retirement destinations.</p>
<div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">&nbsp;</div><h3>Chiang Mai, Thailand</h3>
<img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4aeadecf0000000000a98bf5-400-300/chiang-mai-thailand.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>Thanks to its weather and low cost of living, Thailand has been on retirees' radars for years, and Chiang Mai is cheap, even by Thai standards.</p>
<p>"For under $2,000, I live like a king," says Barry, a Canadian who relocated to Chiang Mai in early 2009. Since then, he has rented a 1,200-square-foot condo for a little more than $400 per month. Groceries are no big concern, usually running him about $50 per month. Restaurants cost about twice that at $100 per month -- and he goes out to eat almost every day.</p>
<p>Barry says that Chiang Mai has just about everything he needs. "There are Western-style restaurants, entertainment venues and social events," he says. The city has several modern hospitals. "I had an emergency spinal fusion two years ago at a cost of 280,000 baht (about $9,300 at the time). In Canada, medical coverage is free, but the waiting time is long. Here, the service is almost instantaneous and very professional."</p>
<p>More routine medical issues are so inexpensive, Barry says, that he doesn't need insurance to cover them. "Going to a dentist for a checkup and cleaning is 500 baht," or about $16.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Guam</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/508565a96bb3f71c69000012-400-300/guam.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>Guam is an often-overlooked alternative for American retirees, despite its many benefits. Because it's a U.S. territory, English is spoken everywhere on the island, and its currency is the U.S. dollar. And, at least on the surface, much of the country's culture and politics will seem familiar to many Americans.</p>
<p>Situated 3,700 miles southwest of Honolulu, Guam is a lower-cost alternative to Hawaii while sharing the same climate. One-bedroom apartments in Guam can rent for as low as $400 per month, with luxury units facing the sea costing $1,000 per month. American citizens can buy property on the island; three-bedroom houses often sell for less than $200,000.</p>
<p>Since the territory is a small, remote island, most items have to be imported, which means groceries can be more expensive than on the U.S. mainland. Meats, most vegetables and some dairy products can cost twice as much. Restaurants, however, are usually comparable in cost to their American counterparts.</p>
<p>Besides enjoying the weather, retirees in Guam can use both American and Guam-based insurers -- including Medicare -- to cover their health care costs. All major medical services are available at Guam Memorial Hospital, which is certified and accredited by several federal agencies in the U.S.</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Vancouver, British Columbia</h3>
<img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/506c2e4369beddf23c000018-400-300/vancouver-british-columbia.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>While it doesn't have a reputation as a retiree destination, Vancouver remains a viable option for Americans who want to stay close to home while living the cosmopolitan life across the border. The biggest hurdle for Vancouver-bound Americans is real estate. With the most expensive housing prices in Canada and some of the most expensive property in the world, Vancouver is not an investment option for many retirees.</p>
<p>The average house price is $857,400, according to CanadianBusiness.com. Renting is a possibility: One-bedroom apartments in downtown Vancouver start at around 1,400 Canadian dollars (nearly $1,398). Food and entertainment cost about the same as in Seattle, which is less than three hours away by car.</p>
<p>While Americans may not save much on rent or living costs by moving to Canada, one expense is considerably lower up North: health care. "I save over $400 per month on medicine, and I never have to wait to see my doctor," says Betty Segel, an American who has lived in suburban Vancouver for five years. Retirees in Canada have access to the country's public health care system, which provides free care to residents, including expats with a permanent residence in the country.</p>
<p>For Americans concerned about health care costs, the added premium of Vancouver property just might be worth it.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/six-affordable-places-to-retire-abroad-2012-10#valencia-spain-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/us-diplomatic-safety-2012-9Here's Every Security Measure US Diplomats Have To Take Abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/us-diplomatic-safety-2012-9
Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:56:29 -0400Lizzy Tomei
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/50523e37ecad04465000000d/ruins-of-us-consulate-in-libya.jpg" border="0" alt="Ruins Of U.S. Consulate in Libya" /></p><p>Security at U.S. embassies and other diplomatic grounds isn't the same worldwide. Protection is paramount, but appearing too fortified can bring risks of its own.</p>
<p>The attack on a U.S. consulate in Benghazi and protests at the U.S. embassy in Cairo on Tuesday prompted U.S. President Barack Obama to call on Wednesday for increased security at diplomatic facilities.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>In remarks delivered from the White House Rose Garden, Obama said that he had told his administration <strong><strong><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/48999274/?US_Ambassador_to_Libya_Three_Staff_Killed_in_Rocket_Attack"><strong>"to increase our security at diplomatic posts around the world."</strong></a></strong></strong></p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>Those measures include dispatching <strong><strong><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/48999274/"><strong>50 Marines, who headed to Libya on Wednesday</strong></a></strong></strong> to fortify diplomatic compounds there, the Associated Press reported. The Marines are members of an elite group known as FAST, or Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team. They respond quickly to terrorism threats and security threats at U.S. embassies.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>In his speech, Obama had said that the Libyan government is also involved in increased security efforts. "We're working with the government of <strong><strong><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/48992646/"><strong>Libya</strong></a></strong></strong> to secure our diplomats," the president said.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>How secure are U.S. diplomatic compounds to begin with? That depends on where they are, according to Austin Long, an assistant professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs who has experience consulting with the US government.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>"Measures of security vary, but typically include a detachment of Marine Security Guards (MSG) working with officers from the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS)," Long wrote in an e-mail to GlobalPost. "The physical protection varies more, from fairly unobtrusive walls and heavy flower planters, much like the protection around federal buildings in DC, to the elaborate layers of checkpoints and barriers surrounding US Embassies in Pakistan and Afghanistan."</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>Decisions about the levels of security required for a given location are based on perceptions of threat, "balanced by the desire not to make every embassy look like an unapproachable 'Fortress America,'" Long wrote.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>A former State Department counterterrorism agent speaking to <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/cnn">CNN</a> echoed that idea, emphasizing the calculations officials make to anticipate, but not invite, threats. "It's never a matter of getting rid of risk. It's a matter of managing risk, and that is a very tough thing to do," Fred Burton told CNN.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>Security responsibilities are also shared by the US and the host nation, which affects overall risk the U.S. post may face. Security outside embassies is the responsibility of the host country, CNN reported.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack">According to Long, that has made some U.S. installations vulnerable in the past.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>"For example, in 1979 the U.S. embassies in both Pakistan and Libya were burned down by mobs, and neither government made timely moves to stop the mobs. Other times, such as in Greece in 2007, it is simply too <strong><strong><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/49004758/"><strong>difficult to stop all attacks</strong></a></strong></strong>," he wrote.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>"In the case of Libya it seems the latter was the case, with the Libyan government too weak to prevent the attack. Egypt seems more mixed, with the Egyptian government responding, but slowly," Long said of the breaches that occurred Tuesday.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>Could the U.S. be doing more to protect foreign service representatives abroad? Some say that the consulate in Benghazi was inadequately protected, especially when compared with the US Embassy in Tripoli.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/reuters">Reuters</a> has reported that militants even knew where the consulate's supposed safe-house was, prompting a deadly shootout.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>But heavily fortified U.S. posts abroad carry their own risks. The U.S. military's most famous protected area is doubtless the Green Zone in Baghdad, a tightly controlled military area set up after the 2003 invasion that still operates to a more limited extent today, albeit under the jurisdiction of Iraqis.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>This world-within-a-world contained the U.S. Embassy, facilities for soldiers, and businesses and shops that operated separately from greater Baghdad &mdash; a division that would fuel opposition to the US mission in Iraq. The Green Zone mostly did its job, although as an obvious symbol of unwelcome foreign presence in Iraq, it was regularly attacked, sometimes with deadly consequences.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>There's also the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, which is closely guarded &mdash; but vulnerable to attack, too, as evidenced by Taliban strikes against the facility almost exactly a year ago. Although the attack was stopped within about five hours and no Americans were killed, seven Afghans died in the fighting and a rocket managed to penetrate the Embassy compound.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>Suicide bombers also continue to target the facility: last week, an attack killed six near NATO headquarters in Kabul, close to the U.S. Embassy.</p>
<p class="textBodyBlack"><span id="byLine"></span>Attempts to strike a balance between security and appearance in U.S. diplomatic facilities has been an ongoing concern. The Washington Times reported earlier this year that the State Department has undertaken an "aggressive new overseas building program" to try to merge enhanced security with approachable designs.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-diplomatic-safety-2012-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/britains-nhs-looks-to-expand-abroad-2012-8Britain's NHS Is Looking To Expand Abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/britains-nhs-looks-to-expand-abroad-2012-8
Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:18:11 -0400Samuel Blackstone
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4b902b5a7f8b9a3f5f640a00-400-299/nhs.jpg" border="0" alt="NHS" width="400" height="299" /></p><p>The Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins are two American health care brands that successfully expanded abroad. Now, Britain's government would like the National Health Service (NHS) to follow their lead.</p>
<p>Giving a gentle push of encouragement, Britain's government expressed their desire to see the NHS brand try and sell their services to other countries in Europe and elsewhere, an attempt to pump some much needed cash into the NHS system, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/aug/21/nhs-brand-sold-overseas-hospitals">reports the Guardian</a>. The brands of well-known hospitals including&nbsp;Great Ormond Street, the Royal Marsden, and Moorfields Eye Hospital were believed to present the best opportunity at success. Already,&nbsp;Moorfields Eye Hospital maintains a clinic in Dubai, <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/global-network-of-nhs-hospitals-to-exploit-brand-8063512.html">reports the Independent.</a>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Supporters of the idea, including David Stout, the deputy chief executive of the NHS Confederation, believe money generated abroad, which is supposed to be redirected to Britain, will help improve the services Brits receive at home. Others, like&nbsp;Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, don't agree.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"At a time of huge upheaval in the health service, when waiting times are rising and trusts are being asked to make &pound;20bn of efficiency savings, this is another concerning distraction, <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/global-network-of-nhs-hospitals-to-exploit-brand-8063512.html">Murphy told the Independent.</a> "The priority of the Government, hospital trusts, and clinicians should be NHS patients."</p>
<p>As a caveat and a possible move to ensure there will be no upheaval by taxpayers, investment for the projects can only come from income generated from private patients. One of the motivations behind this idea: the belief that in the future, rich foreign patients, especially from the Gulf, will prefer to be treated at home than traveling overseas for procedures.</p>
<p>A few noted areas of interest include India, Saudi Arabia, Libya, and of course, China. &nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/britains-nhs-looks-to-expand-abroad-2012-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nearly-33-million-baby-boomers-say-theyre-planning-on-retiring-abroad-2012-7Why Over 3 Million Baby Boomers Plan On Retiring Abroadhttp://www.businessinsider.com/nearly-33-million-baby-boomers-say-theyre-planning-on-retiring-abroad-2012-7
Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:11:00 -0400Knowledge@Wharton
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/50071a666bb3f7a123000018/south-america-river.jpg" border="0" alt="south-america-river" /></p><p>In the small town of Cotacachi, Ecuador, Dan Prescher is living out his retirement dream. Prescher, a native of Omaha, Neb., lives with his wife in a condo in a gated community overlooking the Andes Mountains.</p>
<p>They eat fresh fruits and vegetables year round. They spend their free time hiking to hot springs and frequenting local restaurants.</p>
<p>They keep up with their families and friends back in the U.S. via <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/skype" class="hidden_link">Skype</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/facebook" class="hidden_link">Facebook</a>.</p>
<p>Their costs are modest: They bought their condo three years ago for $50,000. Food is inexpensive. They don't own a car, so for a night out they take a 25-cent bus ride into town. Although Prescher is not officially retired&mdash;he and his wife are both writers&mdash;he has no plans to return to the U.S.</p>
<p>"Every now and then, [my wife and I] think it would be nice to have a place in the states, so we run the numbers," says Prescher, who is in his late 50s. "But because of the high taxes, medical costs and insurance, we just can't figure out a way to live as affordably as we do here. The cost of living is half of what it would be in the U.S."</p>
<p>In the aftermath of the global financial meltdown that ravaged 401(k) accounts and decimated home values, a growing number of Americans&mdash;like Prescher&mdash;are <a href="http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/special_section.cfm?specialID=104">stretching their retirement savings</a> by spending their golden years overseas. Beckoned by foreign countries with mild climates and a lower cost of living, many retirees view living abroad as the fulfillment of a life-long dream. Some are former snowbirds who opt for a Caribbean island or Latin American country; some seek out charming villages in Portugal or Spain, and others have landed in more exotic locales, such as Malaysia.</p>
<p>"Large numbers of people live where they live because of their jobs," says <a href="https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/194/">David Reibstein</a>, professor of marketing at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/wharton" class="hidden_link">Wharton</a>. "When they're not working anymore, they make the decision to move to a more comfortable climate and some place to make their dollars last longer.... One of the things that used to happen is that families stayed together in a general area. But in today's economy, your children are no longer tying you to a certain [location]. It allows you to think more broadly about where in the world you might want to live."</p>
<p><strong>Stretching Dollars in a Foreign Land</strong></p>
<p>The precise number of people retired overseas is hard to come by. About 350,000 American retirees receive Social Security benefits in countries other than the U.S., according to the Social Security Administration's annual statistical supplement. The majority of those people live in Europe, Canada and Mexico. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this number will rise: As many as 3.3 million American baby boomers are planning to retire abroad, according to figures from Travel Market Report, the industry publication. Three years ago, the paid subscription base of <em>International Living</em>, a magazine for retirees who live overseas or plan to, was 39,000; today, it's 80,000.</p>
<p>What's driving them abroad? Money&mdash;or lack of it. Americans' confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement is at historically low levels, according to this year's Retirement Confidence Survey, conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. Only 14% of workers said they were "very confident" they would have enough money to live comfortably in retirement, according to the survey.</p>
<p>The loss of confidence is understandable: According to a study by the Federal Reserve published June 12, the global financial crisis erased 18 years of gains for the median U.S. household's net worth. From 2007 to 2010, the S&amp;P/Case-Shiller U.S. Home Price Index dropped 23%. Retirement accounts&mdash;important supplements to Social Security and other types of retirement income&mdash;were also badly hit. During the same three-year period, the Standard and Poor's 500 Index lost 14% of its value.</p>
<p>The cost of living in most international retirement destinations is much less than the U.S. Consider these figures from Numbeo, the online database of user-contributed information about the cost of living in cities around the world: Rent in San Jose, Costa Rica, for instance, is 57% lower than in Philadelphia. Consumer prices in Chiang Mai, Thailand, are 59% lower than in Boston. Groceries in Seville, Spain, are 36% lower than in San Francisco.</p>
<p>But Andrew Bender, a travel and food writer who pens the Seat 1A blog for <em><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/forbes" class="hidden_link">Forbes</a></em> magazine, cautions that while many countries may offer an ostensibly lower cost of living, there could be other hidden expenses that add up. This is particularly true of emerging market countries, where local items are relatively inexpensive but imported items may not be.</p>
<p>He cites a phenomenon he calls the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc" class="hidden_link">Palm</a> Springs Syndrome. "People from Los Angeles look at the real estate values in Palm Springs [two hours inland] and say: 'I'll retire there because it's cheaper.' But they overlook some factors that could make the cost of living in Palm Springs more expensive. The big one is air conditioning, which is an absolute necessity for months on end when temperatures are well over 100 degrees. This, alone, could cost several hundred dollars a month and cancel out any cost savings over living in LA."</p>
<p>Bender says that the Palm Springs Syndrome could apply to living overseas as well. Consider, for example, the cost of travel: "If you're living in other parts of the world and have to travel back to your old hometown regularly, that's a cost. Airfares serving remote destinations tend not to be cheap, and when you arrive stateside, everyday costs&mdash;hotels, just for starters&mdash;are bound to be a lot more expensive than in your new home."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/indeed" class="hidden_link">Indeed</a>, the wonderfully romantic notion of moving to a foreign country sometimes conflicts with the harsh practicalities of expat life, including currency and tax issues, political instability and personal safety in the new destination. Bender suggests that retirees considering a move abroad should think hard about whether they could give up the public services and creature comforts they depend on. Are things like electricity, water, telephone and the Internet reliable? Are you prepared to give up Heinz ketchup and Ben &amp; Jerry's ice cream?</p>
<p>"Going to a country for a week as a tourist is very different from living there," says Bender. "I'd think about: What's your day-to-day life going to be like? Do you speak the language? How will you get around? What happens if the refrigerator goes out? How's the shopping?"</p>
<p>One of the most pressing financial concerns facing prospective retirees is whether they will have enough money to pay for medical and long-term care expenses. Health care costs have risen rapidly over the last decade and show no signs of abating. A 65-year-old couple retiring in 2012 is estimated to need $240,000 to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses&mdash;the costs not covered by Medicare&mdash;throughout retirement, according to the latest retiree health care costs estimate calculated by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/fidelity-investments" class="hidden_link">Fidelity Investments</a>. This represents a 50% increase from 2002, when the estimate was $160,000.</p>
<p>Out-of-pocket medical costs are likely to continue to rise, says <a href="https://bepp.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/719/">Olivia S. Mitchell</a>, a Wharton professor who specializes in health/retirement analysis and policy. "Nobody knows how the U.S. will ultimately resolve its fiscal problems," she says. "Medicare and Social Security are the biggest drain on the budget. I believe that more of the retiree health care cost burden will be borne by consumers in the form of higher co-pays and higher premiums in the future."</p>
<p>Many countries offer subsidized national health care. Depending on citizenship and age requirements, foreigners are often eligible for the programs, and the level of medical care is generally quite high. "Medical tourism is becoming very popular to Singapore, India and Thailand," says Mitchell, executive director of the Pension Research Council. "Many of the doctors in those countries trained in the U.S., and the costs might be a quarter of U.S. fees."</p>
<p>Mitchell notes that some retirees might consider a phased approach to living abroad in retirement. "It could be a good strategy to live abroad during your first five to 10 years of retirement, when you're more active and your medical needs are not all that great," she says. "But some people are likely to return to the U.S. when they become less independent. For instance, you may need to live closer to where you have family to help you manage your affairs, and when you need more constant care."</p>
<p><strong>A Thirst for Adventure</strong></p>
<p>A lower cost of living and access to health care aside, many boomers are drawn to overseas retirement for emotional reasons. After years of staying in a place because of their jobs or their children, they seize on living in a foreign country as their last shot at excitement. "People look forward to retirement for living out adventures," notes Wharton marketing professor <a href="https://marketing.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/388/">Cassie Mogilner</a>, whose research focuses on happiness, time and money. "It's why so many people say they plan to travel the world when they retire."</p>
<p>It's a lifestyle that exposes people to new places, personalities and experiences. For those with an adventurous streak, living abroad is something they think will make them happy. <a href="http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article.cfm?articleid=2863">According to Mogilner's research</a>, however, that may not be the case. In a series of five studies involving people ranging from teenagers to 80-year-olds, she found that for young people, happiness is about excitement and experiencing new things; as people get older, they associate happiness more with calm and contentment. "Happiness [for them] is derived from surrounding yourself with what's familiar, savoring small moments and especially spending time with the people you love. That's what gives you a calm and contented feeling," she says.</p>
<p>In other words: Those who retire abroad for the adventure may be overlooking the fact that that choice involves leaving their family and the people they are tied to&mdash;friends, kids and grandkids. "You might underestimate the importance of those relationships, particularly as you get older," she points out. "Although technology has definitely helped us to stay connected irrespective of geographic distance, it's not quite the same."</p>
<p><span style="font-size: small;">Mogilner's research has other, more positive, implications for how happy retirees would feel living in a foreign country. Her studies suggest that the disparity in how young and old people view happiness appears to come from the degrees of importance those two groups place on the future and the present. Younger people are generally more focused on the future&mdash;probably because their futures are longer&mdash;and therefore base their happiness more on excitement. Older people place a higher value on the present moment. So if retiring abroad allows one to enjoy the present moment with more ease than retiring in the U.S. would, it could lead to greater happiness. </span></p>
<p>"Older people tend to value small moments&mdash;like being in nature, sitting in one's garden, enjoying a seaside view and even walking outside. They tend to find serenity and peacefulness in that environment," she notes.</p>
<p>Perhaps the biggest reason retiring abroad could lead to greater happiness goes back to money and health. Chronic stressors&mdash;anxiety about financial strain for instance&mdash;can make healthy adults more prone to illness. Persistent stress is linked to an increased risk for heart disease and other serious health problems.</p>
<p>"We know that stress and anxiety play a big role in people's happiness, particularly at the stage of life where happiness is intimately tied to calm peacefulness," says Mogilner. "To the extent that your financial situation is contributing to your stress and you can remove those stressors [by retiring to a place where your cost of living is much less], it could lead to greater happiness."</p>
<p>Prescher, for his part, has no regrets about leaving Omaha behind. And he expects more American seniors living on fixed incomes will make a similar choice in the years to come. "No matter how you are doing financially&mdash;with your 401(k) or other investment accounts&mdash;if you can instantly cut your cost of living in half or more, that's money in the bank," he says. "It takes a sense of adventure and appetite for risk. You have to learn some patience. But other than that, it's not a hard decision to make."</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tom-phelan-built-la-buena-vida-vineyard-in-retirement-2012-6" target="_blank">DON'T MISS: This couple retired on an Argentine vineyard for just $150,000 &gt;</a></h3><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nearly-33-million-baby-boomers-say-theyre-planning-on-retiring-abroad-2012-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/aclu-human-rights-report-2012-7The Military Is Using Contractors That Allegedly Treat Their Workers Like Slaveshttp://www.businessinsider.com/aclu-human-rights-report-2012-7
Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:24:00 -0400Abby Rogers
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4ffc2c22eab8ea6961000008/malaysian-human-trafficking-victims.jpg" border="0" alt="malaysian human trafficking victims" /></p><p>Tens of thousands of men and women from poor countries across the world are allegedly forced into working for U.S. government subcontractors, often performing grueling tasks at military bases overseas.</p>
<p>U.S. government contractors have promised nearly 70,000 men and women enviable work abroad and unimaginable salaries only to confine them to windowless warehouses, according to a <a href="http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/hrp_traffickingreport_web_0.pdf">new report</a> from the American Civil Liberties Union and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/yale-1" class="hidden_link">Yale</a> Law School.</p>
<p>The workers are forbidden from traveling home, and sometimes even forced to work without pay, according to the report, which was released late last month.</p>
<p>While the report focused mostly on labor trafficking, it also revealed shocking allegations of sex trafficking and violence against women.</p>
<p>U.S. contractors abroad have been involved in sex scandals since at least the 1990s.</p>
<p>At that time, employees of DynCorp International Inc., a Virginia-based contractor in Bosnia, were accused of buying girls as young as 12 and using them as as sex slaves, according to the report.</p>
<p>The contractors were never prosecuted.</p>
<p>The report quoted a news story written by New Yorker reporter Sarah Stillman that profiles Lydia, a woman from Fiji.</p>
<p>"A supervisor had 'had his way with' Lydia...non-consensual sex had become a regular feature of Lydia's life...the man would taunt Lydia, calling her a 'fucking bitch,' and describing various acts he would like to see her perform," Stillman wrote, according to the ACLU's report.</p>
<p>Stillman reportedly tried to report Lydia's case to the U.S. Army's emergency sexual-assault hotline but never received an answer.</p>
<p>For <a href="http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/09/trafficked-into-tragedy-abuse-of-immigrant-workers-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/?ref=world" target="_blank">even more harrowing details</a> of the lives third-country nationals are forced to lead, check out Shreeya Sinha's story over at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/the-new-york-times" class="hidden_link">The New York Times</a>.<a href="http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/author/shreeya-sinha/" title="See all posts by SHREEYA SINHA" class="url fn"></a></p>
<h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sexual-assault-advice-2012-7" target="_blank">DON'T MISS: A Sexual Assault Hotline Operator Defends Making 'Way More Rape Jokes Than I Should' &gt;</a></h2><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/aclu-human-rights-report-2012-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-drones-reverse-engineered-to-hunt-submarines-2012-4The Chinese Navy Is Betting Big On Its New Submarine Hunting Drones http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-drones-reverse-engineered-to-hunt-submarines-2012-4
Thu, 12 Apr 2012 06:12:00 -0400Eloise Lee and Robert Johnson
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/4f86a5ae69beddeb08000018/chinese-drone.jpg" border="0" alt="Chinese Drone" /></p><p>Tackling the long-time nuisance of American submarines off its coastal waters, China is deploying drones to its Navy ships.</p>
<p>While not a new development on its own, there are reports of increased drone deployment to the PLA's ships, and a heightened attack against U.S. drone contractors.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2012/04/09/China-increases-naval-UAV-use/UPI-87321333977162/">UPI reports</a>&nbsp;Chinese hackers have ramped up their barrage of infected emails to glean as much information about the Pentagon's UAV strategy and development as they can.<span>&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>It's no secret that the Chinese military is in the habit of copying foreign hardware, and while drone technology was previously limited to the U.S. and its allies &mdash; that's over.</p>
<p>China began developing UAVs in the 1960s just as several American&nbsp;<a href="http://www.spyflight.co.uk/aqm34g.htm">AQM-34G - R</a>&nbsp;models were lost over the Chinese mainland. <a href="http://www.spyflight.co.uk/aqm34g.htm">Spy Flight</a>&nbsp;says one drone was recovered by the Chinese, who maintain they shot it down.</p>
<p>In&nbsp;1969&nbsp;China began reverse engineering the drone at the <a href="http://ev.buaa.edu.cn/about/index.php">Beijing Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics</a>&nbsp;in an&nbsp;eager bid to figure out the American technology and use it for themselves.</p>
<p>By 1972 the U.S. drone was copied into the <a href="http://www.sinodefence.com/airforce/uav/wz5.asp">WuZhen-5</a>. And when China invaded Vietnam during the <a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/prc-vietnam.htm">war of 1979,</a>&nbsp;China's first drone was used to successfully collect visual intelligence &mdash; a chilling example of how good China is at counterfeiting military hardware.</p>
<p><img class="float_left" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4f86a5ffecad044b19000042/dark-sword.jpg" border="0" alt="Dark Sword" />But being based on a drone from the 1960s, the Wuzhen-5 is nowhere near as sophisticated as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-generation-of-us-nuclear-powered-drones-would-be-able-to-fly-for-months-without-refueling-2012-4?utm_source=inpost&amp;utm_medium=seealso&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content=3&amp;utm_campaign=recirc">U.S. drones.</a></p>
<p>And that's why China would be keen to inspect the American RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone, which Tehran was able to capture last year.</p>
<p>The "Beast of Kandahar" went down to much Iranian fanfare, and after doubts about the drone's capture were put to rest by its display on <a href="http://www.presstv.ir/detail/213765.html">PressTV</a>, questions of how great a loss its capture is to U.S. intelligence continue to linger.</p>
<p>There was speculation in February the drone went down with its <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-cia-thinks-that-rq-170-drone-went-down-with-all-of-its-data-there-for-tehran-2012-2#comments">data still intact</a>&nbsp;and the folks at <a href="http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/12/cia-drone-secrets/">DARPA told Wired</a> that there is little doubt the Russians and the Chinese were brought in to help with reverse engineering the advanced American aircraft.</p>
<p>When Beijing gets around to using the Sentinel's technology in its own fleet of drones, there is little doubt it will be used to patrol China's vast coastline and maritime territory using the <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2012/02/genetic-algorithms-let-chinese.html">genetic algorithms already employed by its older drones</a> to hunt for submarines.</p>
<p>American subs in Asian waters are a definite burr in Beijing's saddle and&nbsp;<a href="http://the-diplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2011/08/03/us-vs-china-undersea/">are the one true soft spo</a>t in the <img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4f86a6b16bb3f7557d000017/china-uav-control.jpg" border="0" alt="China UAV control" />Asian nation's military buildup. The U.S. routinely has 10 forward deployed subs in the world's oceans at any given time and in the event of Chinese hostilities they would slip into the area as quietly as possible.</p>
<p>China's best defense would be its unique algorithms in a fleet of drones, patrolling the coast, using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonobuoy">information from sonar buoys</a> to track the American subs. Whether the Sentinel's technology will aid the Chines in their efforts has yet to be seen.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chinese-drones-reverse-engineered-to-hunt-submarines-2012-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/afghanistan-wants-us-to-prioritize-local-security-over-budget-2012-4Afghanistan Is Urging The Pentagon To Keep Paying It Billions Of Dollarshttp://www.businessinsider.com/afghanistan-wants-us-to-prioritize-local-security-over-budget-2012-4
Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:34:00 -0400Eloise Lee
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4f85a80becad04f24c00002c/soldier.jpg" border="0" alt="Soldier" /></p><p>Just as the defense budget is projected to shrink, and&nbsp;the U.S. inches toward <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/obama-karzai-reaffirm-2014-withdrawal-us-170958617.html">a&nbsp;2014 withdrawal goal</a>, Afghan officials are saying they want to be sure American cash will keep on flowing.</p>
<p>Concerned the flood of money will be slashed based on a deadline or a budget, Afghan officials seem either unaware or unconcerned that those are the two factors shaping U.S. policy and opinion on the Afghan War.</p>
<p><span>The U.S. will be training 325,000 Afghan soldiers to take over when it departs in a couple years and it's costing tax payers more than $4 billion this year alone.</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/world/asia/afghan-force-will-be-cut-as-nato-ends-mission-in-2014.html">The NY Times reports</a>&nbsp;combined allied funding towards Afghan security forces reaches $7 billion annually.</p>
<p>American and NATO officials are discussing how to share the burden, with a tentative plan for the&nbsp;U.S. to contribute $2.3 billion to $2.7 billion annually, and the Afghan government contributing $500 million along with donations from allies "to cover the rest."&nbsp;</p>
<p>But&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-11/afghans-appeal-to-panetta-for-security-to-top-cost-of-support.html">Viola Beinger at Bloomberg</a><span>&nbsp;reports Afghanistan's defense and interior ministers say they've urged Defense Secretary&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.defense.gov/bios/biographydetail.aspx?biographyid=310">Leon Panetta</a><span>&nbsp;to prioritize maintaining a high level of security in Afghanistan over the aim of cutting costs.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>This means they're appealing to the U.S. to let the security situation determine if and when funding decreases. This kind of open-ended support would be based on conditions on the ground, rather than a specified date.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.politico.com/reporters/AustinWright.html">Austin Wright at Politico</a><span>&nbsp;says this approach, which is supported by presidential hopeful <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/mitt-romney" class="hidden_link">Mitt Romney</a>, would be a "hard sell to a war-weary American public."&nbsp;</span></p>
<p>General John Allen, the top commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan,<span>&nbsp;testified last</span><span>&nbsp;month at a series of Senate Armed Services Committee hearings about the situation in Afghanistan. He is</span>&nbsp;evaluating the progress of Afghan security and will present recommendations about U.S. military force levels to President Obama later this year.&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://webb.senate.gov/">Virginia Senator Jim Webb</a>&nbsp;asked Gen. Allen to say whether he'd consider accelerating the pace of the U.S. military withdrawal, since the commander acknowledged Afghan troops were better than he thought they'd be.</p>
<p>Senator Webb suggested an early withdrawal would put the U.S. in good light: &ldquo;You could actually see that as a signal of success, rather than of weakness.&rdquo;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/23/world/asia/general-john-allen-testifies-on-afghan-troop-strength.html"><img class="float_left" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4f85a8adeab8ea1539000036/afghan-forces.jpg" border="0" alt="Afghan forces" />Thom Shanker at the NY Times</a>&nbsp;reported at the time that Gen. Allen stressed to senators "he&nbsp;would not even begin his formal assessments about force levels until he could review the security situation at the conclusion of the summer fighting season."</p>
<p>However, the news this week is&nbsp;Afghan forces will be cut after taking a leading role in the next couple years.</p>
<p><span>Afghan Defense minister&nbsp;</span><a href="http://www.cnas.org/node/718">Abdul Rahim Wardak</a><span></span>&nbsp;acknowledged that his government and NATO have agreed <em>in principle</em> to decreasing local service members to 230,000 as the international community cuts back on funding.</p>
<p><span>But Wardak told reporters yesterday in Washington after talks with Secretary Panetta that any decision is "subject to revision."</span></p>
<p><span></span>"The security environment by itself will either agree with the figures or not."</p>
<p><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g6_KN8JXM_fLZz66-lz4Sgb6pYdQ?docId=CNG.52747391d01822f26d635ca87e46ff5f.3f1">The AFP previously reported</a> that Wardak warned if figures were not based on "realities on the ground" that the war effort could become disastrous, "putting at risk all that we have accomplished together with so much sacrifice in blood and treasure."</p>
<p>The U.S. along with coalition partners are meeting next month for a key <a href="http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-B778CC6A-C16AF0CE/natolive/news_84287.htm">NATO summit</a> in Chicago, where their future support for Afghan security will be determined.</p>
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